Wichita
- Competition
was intense as youth contended for auction premiums and scholarships during the
74th Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS), September 22-25 in Wichita. The statewide
event featured 673 4-H and FFA members from 86 counties exhibiting 1,256 head
of livestock. Major sponsors of the show are the Kansas Livestock Association,
Kansas State University and the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce.

A 1,307 lb. crossbred shown by Courtney Hrabe from Stockton bested a field of
123 head to earn grand champion steer honors. Hrabe's steer was purchased by
Cargill Meat Solutions and Carlos O'Kelly's Mexican Cafe for $12,275 during
the Auction of Champions held at the show's conclusion. The reserve grand champion
steer, exhibited by Brady Jensen of Courtland, was a 1,314 lb. crossbred worth
$6,100 to Pfizer, Elanco, MicroBeef, Kansas Feeds of Dodge City and Qualitech.
MacKenzie Flory, Baldwin City, showed the champion Angus steer, while the reserve
was owned by Kyleigh Santee of Langdon. The champion Charolais was led by Austin
Schotte of Marysville. Cody Langlois, Spearville, showed the reserve. A steer
exhibited by Marley Conine, Scott City, earned the champion Chianina title,
while Garrett Reiss, Weskan, showed the reserve. The champion Hereford steer
belonged to Betsy Koons of Lakin. The reserve Hereford was shown by B. J. Valek,
Agenda. Morgan Ratliff, Westphalia, owned the champion Limousin steer. Randee
Corns, Eureka, exhibited the reserve. Kaden Hush from Plains owned the champion
Maine-Anjou steer, while Danielle Ligon from Paola showed the reserve. The
champion Shorthorn steer also was led by Danielle Ligon, and the reserve was
an entry exhibited by Marley Conine of Scott City. Baron Crumbaker from Beloit
exhibited the champion Simmental steer, with Haley Lauer from Abilene leading
the reserve. Kayla Lee of Garden City showed the all-other-breeds (AOB) champion.
Shane Ligon, Paola, owned the reserve AOB steer.

A commercial female owned by Tucker Stewart of Washington was judged supreme
champion of the 250-head breeding heifer show. A Chianina shown by Tara Rooney
from Satanta was the reserve supreme champion heifer. The reserve champion
commercial heifer was led by Haley Lauer of Abilene. Logan Allen from Gardner
exhibited the reserve Chianina female. The champion Angus heifer was shown
by Cody Theis, Leavenworth, and Hannah Talkington, Hays, exhibited the reserve.
A heifer owned by Maci Schlehuber of Hillsboro topped the Charolais division.
Reserve Charolais heifer honors were awarded to an entry shown by Katy Clawson
from Satanta. The champion Gelbvieh heifer was exhibited by Cody Tucker of
Portis. Quentin Clark, Barnard, led the reserve Gelbvieh. In the Hereford division,
champion honors went to a heifer owned by Brady Jensen, Courtland, while the
reserve champion was shown by sister Brooke Jensen. Morgan Ratliff from Westphalia
exhibited both the champion and reserve Limousin heifers. Devon Stewart, Courtland,
exhibited the champion Maine-Anjou heifer. The reserve was led by Logan Allen,
Gardner. Taylor Harms from Lincolnville owned the champion Red Angus heifer.
The reserve Red Angus female was owned by Judy Parsons from Pratt. A heifer
exhibited by Chad Atwood of LaCygne was named champion Shorthorn, while Cody
Webb of Pomona showed the reserve. Bryant Brunner of Ramona led the champion
Simmental female. Kasandra Huser, Victoria, exhibited the reserve. The champion
AOB heifer was awarded to an entry from Evan Talkington, Hays. Bailey Clanton,
Bucyrus, led the reserve.

Kylie Berger of Abilene guided her 271 lb. crossbred to the grand champion KJLS
market hog title. First National Bank of Anthony and A&M Plumbing of Wichita
paid $4,325 for Berger's entry during the premium sale. A 274 lb. crossbred
owned by L.T. Plunkett, Syracuse, was the reserve grand champion market hog
of the 351-head show. S.O.W. Corporation placed a final bid of $1,775 on Plunkett's
hog. Megan Davis, Princeton, exhibited the champion Chester White, with Tiffany
Timm, Sawyer, owning the reserve. The champion Duroc title went to an entry
exhibited by Julie Niehage of McPherson. Austin Newberry, Attica, owned the
reserve champion Duroc. Thatcher Moddie of Burlington guided the champion Hampshire.
Showing the reserve was Katie Hedges of Burden. In the Spotted barrow division,
Leslie Schweer from Garden City exhibited the champion. Ethan Frantz from Hillsboro
owned the reserve. Quentin Ediger, Minneola, showed the champion Yorkshire
hog, while the reserve champion was exhibited by Karl Riffel, Tampa. The AOB
title was awarded to an entry shown by Kurtis Niehage of McPherson. Payje Orler
of Pratt owned the reserve AOB hog.

Boone Ott from Coffeyville exhibited the grand champion market lamb, a 146 lb.
Suffolk that brought $2,325 during the Auction of Champions. Southwestern Remodeling
of Wichita was the buyer. The reserve grand champion market lamb, a 149 lb.
crossbred worth $1,075 to Walco International and Alpharma, was shown by Reagan
Kays of Weir. A total of 263 lambs were shown at KJLS. Alyssa Heitschmidt of
Garden City led the reserve champion Suffolk. Lawrence's Luke Wempe showed
the reserve crossbred lamb. The natural division champion was shown by Clint
Leatherman from Fort Scott. Reserve honors went to a lamb exhibited by Emily
Harris from Abilene. In the Dorset division, an entry exhibited by Jocie Miser,
Emporia, earned champion honors, while Kyler Langvardt, Chapman, showed the
reserve. Boone Ott of Coffeyville also led the champion Hampshire lamb. Cody
Barilla, Preston, owned the reserve.

A Shropshire shown by Jansyn Van Horn of Garfield was chosen as the supreme champion
ewe from a field of 39 head. Reserve supreme ewe honors went to a Hampshire
female owned by Daniel Finder of Kingman. Reserve champion in the Shropshire
division also was exhibited by Jansyn Van Horn from Garfield. Kyle Finder,
Kingman, owned the reserve champion Hampshire ewe. Macey Langvardt of Chapman
showed the champion Dorset female. Macey's brother, Trent, owned the reserve
champion. A ewe exhibited by Austin Abeldt of Hope took top honors in the Suffolk
ewe division, with an entry from Angie Lundberg of Frankfort earning reserve.
The champion other purebred ewe was owned by Katie Gillmore, Moundridge, while
the reserve belonged to Tenise Wedel, also from Moundridge.

Lindsey Pease from Chetopa received grand champion honors with her entry in the
inaugural KJLS meat goat show. The champion goat, besting 79 others to claim
the top prize, weighed 107 lbs. and was worth $1,025 to S.O.W Corporation.
Amelia Vasko from Scott City showed the reserve champion meat goat, which weighed
100 lbs. New Horizon Farm and Home Cooperatives placed a final bid of $3,725
on Vasko's goat.

Since the inception of the KJLS scholarship program 13 years ago, a total of
180 exhibitors have been awarded $207,500. Proceeds from the Beefeater Barbecue,
prior to the Auction of Champions, and private contributions are the primary
funding sources for the KJLS scholarship pool.

Teams from several states participated in the Mid America Classic Judging Contest
held in conjunction with KJLS. The senior college contest was won by a team
from Oklahoma State University, while second place went to the Kansas State
University team. K-State's Christie Gable was the top scoring senior college
individual. She was followed by Austin Fink, also from K-State.

In the sophomore division of the junior college contest, teams from Butler County
Community College (BCCC) placed first and second. Clem Neely from Coffeyville
Community College was the high scoring individual, followed by Lucas Neumayr
of BCCC.

A team from BCCC also topped the junior college freshman team competition, with
Hutchinson Community College (HCC) placing second. Maria Stevens from BCCC
ranked at the top of the freshman contest, while the second place freshman
was Drew Perez with BCCC.